


On the First Day of *Insert Non-Specific Winter Holiday Here*

by TakingOverMidnight3482



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Jewish Reggie, Multi, Ray and Carlos know about the guys, Willie is growing fond of the Molina family, bi reggie, more characters added as each day happens, pan luke, pre-canon Bobby is a good guy and deserves no slander, twelve days of Christmas prompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:48:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 11,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28072722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TakingOverMidnight3482/pseuds/TakingOverMidnight3482
Summary: For Sonsetcurve's holiday event on Tumblr - twelve prompts for Julie and the Phantoms to take us up to Christmas.Prompt ListDay One: Holiday Lights and DisplaysDay Two: Ice SkatingDay Three: Under the MistletoeDay Four: Cheesy Holiday MoviesDay Five: Hot ChocolateDay Six: Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?Day Seven: Let's Go CarolingDay Eight: Christmas CookiesDay Nine: Snowball FightDay Ten: Holiday Traditions/Decorating the TreeDay Eleven: Christmas EveDay Twelve: Christmas Day
Relationships: Alex & Carlos Molina & Julie Molina & Ray Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie, Alex & Flynn & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie
Comments: 35
Kudos: 142





	1. Holiday Lights and Displays

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to "Rebecca attempts to write every month of the year instead of just in November because she actually likes writing when she remembers to do it." Thank you to sonsetcurve on tumblr for providing the prompts for this event!! I'm excited to see everyone's contributions. 
> 
> Note: these fics don't really go together, they're all individual one shots. The constant in each of them is that Ray and Carlos (and Victoria, if I end up writing for her) are aware that the guys exist (they won't be able to see them in every single fic, though)
> 
> Apologies if this one is a little less coherent, I got my wisdom teeth out the other day and this whole weekend has been a fog lol.

Julie walked into the studio to find her father’s feet poking through the rungs of the ladder up to the loft, a pile of boxes at the foot of the ladder, and all three ghosts standing at the bottom and staring up. “What’s going on?”

The guys jumped, but her father spoke first, his voice loud and cheery despite the fact that he couldn’t, you know, see her. “Morning honey! I’m just getting the Christmas decorations down. The guys are helping!”

Julie lifted her eyebrow at the boys and Alex grinned. “Yeah. He’s handing the boxes down to us.”

Luke’s smile was equally bright. “Reggie almost gave him a heart attack the first time.”

Reggie threw his hands up. “Not my fault he can’t see us!”

“Do you need an extra set of hands you can actually see?” Julie asked in a teasing tone, stepping around the instruments and joining the guys at the bottom of the ladder. “Or are you having fun watching boxes float?”

Ray leaned back, his eyes twinkling. “It is certainly entertaining to watch, but I’ll never say no to extra help. Grab Carlos, the five of you can start moving the boxes to the house.”

“The four of us,” Alex corrected immediately, and when Julie looked at him in confusion, he shot a stern look at Ray, who was obviously paying them no attention. “He almost fell off the ladder earlier. I’m staying.”

Julie grinned and picked up a box, nodding to Luke and Reggie to do so as well. “Alex is staying here, Dad! He says he doesn’t trust you not to fall!”

Ray’s spluttering protests followed the giggling trio out of the garage.

~~

Julie bounced up to Reggie, multiple shiny bulbs dangling from her fingertips. She thrust her left hand out, adorned with three of the bulbs, and tilted her head at him. “Come on, you can’t DJ the _whole_ time.”

Reggie set Julie’s laptop down carefully on the coffee table, taking the bulbs with a hesitant frown. Julie furrowed her eyebrows. “Or if you want, you can join Carlos and Alex in putting the garland and lights on the railing outside. I mean, if you _want_ to DJ the whole time, I won’t stop you, I just thought-”

“No, no,” Reggie said quickly, standing up. “I’m fine with whatever, I’ve just never celebrated Christmas before so I’m not really sure what to do.”

“Your parents _never_ -?”

Reggie snorted, shaking his head and cutting her off. “I’m Jewish, Jules. But show me where to hang them, I’ll hang them.”

“Ohhh,” Julie drawled, glancing down at the Spotify playlist Reggie had open and clicking “play” again. “Okay, that makes sense. Yeah, here let me show you.”

She directed him on where to hang the ornaments and then glanced around the living room as she hung her own. “Where’s Dad?” she asked.

Luke, on the other side of the tree, leaned around the pine branches and pointed. “Making hot chocolate in the kitchen. Said to come throw things at him if we needed anything.”

Julie giggled and grabbed her phone from the charger, pointing at the two. “Don’t break our ornaments,” she ordered, before darting off to the kitchen.

Reggie looked at Luke with raised eyebrows and an impish grin. “Who does she think we are, Alex?”

“I heard that!” came Alex’s shout through the open window.

Luke and Reggie glanced at one another and then burst into laughter.

~~

“Seriously, Jules,” Reggie chuckled, clinging to her hands and struggling not to wobble as she led him into the kitchen. “I can keep my eyes closed on my own.”

“I don’t trust you,” Julie declared, shrieking as he playfully swatted at her. “Am I wrong?”

“Nope,” Alex said, from where he was sitting next to Luke on the counter, swinging his legs. “He was always terrible about surprises, especially for himself.”

“That’s what I thought,” Julie snorted. “All right, keep ‘em closed, keep ‘em closed…”

She backed away and, to his credit, Reggie kept his eyes closed, a smile playing on his face and his arms crossing over his chest. “Can I look?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Julie moved to stand next to her father and Carlos by the kitchen island, clasping her hands in front of her eagerly. “Yes, now you can.”

Reggie blinked his eyes open, taking in the family in front of him, his bandmates sitting on the counter nearby, and then zeroing in on the menorah in the middle of the kitchen island, all the candles set up but none of them lit yet. His jaw fell a little, then fell a little further when he noticed the dreidel game laid out on the kitchen table. He pointed at it, at the menorah, and then at Julie accusingly. “What-?”

“Happy Hanukkah,” she said, a cheeky smile on her face. “What, you think we wouldn’t want you to celebrate your own holiday?”

Reggie’s breath hitched and he shoved his hands in his pockets, ducking his head. “Um. Thanks,” he whispered, peeking up at her bashfully. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

Luke leapt off the counter and wrapped an arm around Reggie’s shoulders, dragging him in for a side hug. “Come on, we’re lighting the menorah and then you’re teaching us to play the dreidel game, and I WILL beat you at it.”

Reggie snorted and shoved Luke off of him. “In your dreams, Patterson.”

~~

Julie stared up at the twinkling house, her arms wrapped tightly around herself and rocking lightly on her toes. Her father approached a moment later, pressing a mug of tea into her hands and holding onto his own as he bumped into her side. “Whatcha thinking, kiddo?”

Julie took a sip of the tea, tapping her fingers on the ceramic thoughtfully. “Mom would like it,” she said quietly.

“The lights? I sure hope so,” Ray chuckled, taking a drag of his own tea. “I put them up exactly the same every year.”

Julie hummed, looking down at her cup. “No. I mean yes but like…having everyone here. The guys. Mixing Christmas and Hanukkah. I think she’d like it.”

Ray wrapped a tight arm around her and drew her to his side, kissing the top of Julie’s head. “I think she would too, mija. She’s always said the more the merrier. This is certainly the time of year for more.”

Julie leaned against her father and nodded, taking a deep breath and moving her gaze over the display once more. “Who’s winning?” she asked after a long moment.

Ray snorted. “Carlos, surprisingly. I think Luke is mad about it. Reggie just seems proud.”

Julie giggled and took another drink of her tea. “Should we go inside before people start throwing dreidels?”

“That might be for the best.”


	2. Ice Skating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flynn did not like ice skating.
> 
> To put it more concretely, she _hated_ ice skating. The first time she’d gone ice skating was at Carrie Wilson’s second grade birthday party, and she’d broken her ankle falling on the rink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to day 2!
> 
> This one is my favorite so far. Like I really enjoy this one. I am Flynn and Flynn is me.

Flynn did not like ice skating.

To put it more concretely, she _hated_ ice skating. The first time she’d gone ice skating was at Carrie Wilson’s second grade birthday party, and she’d broken her ankle falling on the rink. The second and last time she went was in fifth grade with her parents, and she’d had to get six stitches in her head after she fell too hard on a turn.

So yeah, ice skating was a little traumatic for her.

But Julie loved ice skating (she’d gone every year with her mom), and Flynn would jump off a bridge for Julie Molina, so here she was at an ice skating rink, watching her best friend skate with Carlos across the rink. Ray was there too, but he was hanging out on the edge with Flynn’s dad, talking about something to do with photography. They were both skating, but slowly, like old people did.

Flynn’s mom was at work, and Flynn didn’t really want to let Julie down, so here she was, sitting on the bleachers outside the rink, laced up in skates but too petrified to stand up in them.

Julie understood – she of all people knew not to pressure others into doing something before they were ready. She’d asked Flynn once if she wanted to join her and Carlos and hadn’t pushed when Flynn declined. She kept checking up on her, of course, and Flynn knew that Julie genuinely wouldn’t be upset if she didn’t skate, but she still felt guilty.

“And you aren’t skating because?”

Flynn jumped about a foot when Reggie appeared next to her – she still wasn’t quite used to being able to see and touch the guys. It was a recent thing, had started shortly after Thanksgiving, and it was barely the second week of December, so Flynn was still startled by the fact that she (and the whole Molina family, Aunt Victoria included) could, you know, see ghosts.

When she looked up, she found Luke and Alex out on the rink, skating (could it be called skating, if they were ghosts and couldn’t even actually stand on the ice?) circles around Julie and Carlos, who were trying hard not to react in front of all the lifers around them.

There was no one on the bleachers, though, so Flynn didn’t bother to hide speaking to Reggie. “I don’t skate,” she murmured, fingers tightening on the bench under her.

Reggie’s boot knocked into her skate. “The skates say otherwise.”

“I _don’t skate_ ,” she said, a little more firmly.

Reggie went silent for a moment, and Flynn thought he’d leave her to join the guys on the rink. Instead he drew his legs up to sit cross legged on the bench, fiddling with the sleeves of his flannel. “I didn’t like skating much either,” he said with a shrug. “I was more into basketball and stuff. Skating freaked me out. Like…what if you sliced your _whole hand_ off?”

Flynn wrinkled her nose. “Exactly,” she grumbled.

Reggie twisted his ring around his finger and leaned a little closer to her. “So why’d’you have them on if you don’t want to skate?”

Sometimes Flynn forgot how perceptive Reggie was. His goofy demeanor was deceptive. She sighed and leaned her hands against the bench. “I feel bad,” she admitted, scuffing the toe of the skate against the rink barrier. “Julie always invites me, and this is something special she did with her mom, so I don’t want to say no, you know? But I don’t really know _how_ to skate, and it freaks me out anyway, so I just end up sitting here.”

“She wouldn’t make you come,” Reggie pointed out.

Flynn groaned and buried her head in her hands. “I know,” she muttered into her fingers. “But I still feel shitty about it, dude.”

Reggie hummed. “I’m not very good at skating either. At least, when I was alive I wasn’t. Neither was Alex, so I think being dead has it’s perks.”

Flynn looked up and followed Reggie’s pointing finger in time to see Alex spin in a circle, a grin on his face as he struck a dramatic pose on the ice. She snorted, dropping her hands and resting her wrists on her knees. “That’s pretty cool,” she admitted. “You could probably do cool stuff like that too now.”

Reggie rocked forward, leaning on his crossed knees. “Yeah, but I’d feel lame leaving you here alone.”

Flynn opened her mouth to protest and caught his pointed smirk. She scowled and pointed at him. “That’s dirty.”

Reggie bounced to his feet and held out a hand, his smile slipping into something softer. “I know. Come on. I won’t force you, but you’d have a ghostly hand on your side if you wanted it.”

Flynn swallowed and looked past Reggie to Julie, who was giggling as Carlos chased Luke in circles. She glanced up and caught Flynn watching her and she waved, a bright smile on her face. Flynn waved back, feeling almost shy all of a sudden, and then looked again at Reggie’s outstretched hand.

“Promise not to let me fall?” she whispered, flexing her fingers in her gloves.

Reggie’s tilted head and wide, eager smile reminded Flynn of a puppy dog. “I promise on my afterlife.”

She took the ghost’s outstretched hand and let him drag her to her blades. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tomorrow is Under the Mistletoe, so that'll be fun lol.
> 
> Also if I didn't say it yesterday, Happy Hanukkah!!!


	3. Under the Mistletoe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From the couch came a hoot and a whistle – Carlos, of course, when Julie looked up. “Mistletoe baby!”
> 
> Julie looked up and rolled her eyes, shifting the cheese platter to one hand and pointing a finger accusingly at Reggie. “No funny business, mister.”
> 
> ~~
> 
> Or: five kisses, five ways (platonic/familial)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I knew that a lot of people were probably going to do Willex or Juke for this prompt, and I really wanted to deviate from the romantic idea of the mistletoe and do something involving platonic/familial moments between Julie and the people she loves. I was gonna do one for Tia, too, but I couldn't think of any others unfortunately. 
> 
> Posting this like five minutes before midnight but it still counts.

_Top of the Head_

Julie was blindsided when her father appeared in the bathroom doorway, throwing his arm tightly around her shoulders and crushing her against his chest, ignoring her shrieks of surprise that quickly turned into giggles once she realized who had his grip on her. She set her brush down quickly before she could drop it.

“Dad!” she protested, pushing at his chest and ducking from his grip, a grin on her face. “What the heck?”

Ray chuckled, his cheeks rosy. He had a Santa hat on his head and a glass of punch in his right hand, which Julie was frankly a little surprised that he hadn’t dropped. “Didn’t mean to scare you, honey. You’re under the mistletoe, I wanted to sneak up on you.”

Julie lifted her eyebrows and her chin, spotting the plant in question. “A mistletoe in the bathroom doorway? Never mind, don’t want to know. Aren’t people supposed to like…get _caught_ under a mistletoe? Not ambushed?”

Ray tisked and took a drink of his punch. “Ambushing is more fun. Come here.”

Julie giggled and dove easily back into her father’s arms, eyes fluttering shut as he dropped a kiss on top of her head and squeezed her tight. “Love you, mija.”

She hummed against his chest. “Merry Christmas Eve, Papa.”

“Merry Christmas Eve. Now come on, Tia is setting up the appetizers in the living room, and she won’t let Flynn or the guys help.”

“When has she ever let _anyone_ help?”

~~

_Back of the Hand_

“Mind helping me with this platter of cookies?” Julie asked before Reggie could escape from the kitchen.

The ghost turned, elf hat jingling as he gave her a smile. “Sure! Man, it’s nice to finally actually be able to _help_ in the kitchen.”

He took the offered platter from Julie, concentrating so that it didn’t slip through his fingers, and nodded his head for her to lead the way. She had her own tray, which was full of cheese and crackers, and together they made their way to the living room, where the rest of the family, band, and Flynn were waiting.

“So who gave you the elf hat?” she wondered, eyeing the jingling bell at the end curiously. “I thought Dad got you one that looked like a dreidel?”

Reggie rolled his eyes like it was obvious. “Luke stole it. Claimed it looked better on him. Besides, I like the bell,” he said with a laugh, shaking his head so that it jingled wildly.

They hit the doorway at the same time, frowning a little as they each tried to move around each other and into the living room. From the couch came a hoot and a whistle – Carlos, of course, when Julie looked up. “Mistletoe baby!”

Julie looked up and rolled her eyes, shifting the cheese platter to one hand and pointing a finger accusingly at Reggie. “No funny business, mister.”

The twinkle in Reggie’s eyes matched the smile on his face as he shifted his own platter. “I would never,” he said, so gently and sincerely that it took Julie back for a second.

He took her by the fingertips, bent at the hip, and dropped a gentle kiss to the back of her hand before shooting her a shit eating grin and bouncing away, hat jingling all the way. Julie could only snicker and follow after him.

~~

_Cheek_

Julie found Luke in the garage, strumming at his guitar with a frown on his face and his eyes trained on his notebook. “You coming?” she asked softly. “I know you can’t really eat, but it wouldn’t be the same if you weren’t there.”

Luke glanced up at her, giving her a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah. I’ll be there in a minute. Just…can’t find the words.”

He had abandoned the group in the middle of the original _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_ – all 2D baby, none of that 3D/live action bullshit, and Reggie and Alex had quietly admitted that he hadn’t been feeling much like Christmas this year because of his parents. They’d told Julie and Ray to give him some alone time, and they’d obliged, but Ray was setting up dinner now, and there was no sign of him coming back anytime soon, so Julie had taken it upon herself to go find the singer.

“Writing something for your parents?” she asked quietly, fiddling with one of her bracelets.

Luke’s smile grew a little warmer. “Yeah. Reggie and Alex say something?”

“I pestered them,” Julie said quickly, not wanting him to be upset. “I wouldn’t-”

“I’m not mad,” Luke promised. He sighed and put the guitar down, flipping his notebook closed and tucking the pencil behind his ear. “I just…miss them. Is all. I left right before Christmas, so I guess…”

“I’m sorry,” Julie said softly.

Luke looked up at her, his eyes a little watery, and he let out a shaky laugh. “Right. It’s okay. Um, let’s go eat.”

Julie stopped him at the door with a gentle touch to his wrist that slid to his hand when he didn’t pull back. “If you want,” she offered slowly, watching his head tilt with an endearing slowness. “I could go by their house tomorrow night, take them some cookies? Tell them…tell them it felt like I had to, or something.”

Luke’s breath hitched, just a little, and Julie always found it fascinating that it could. “You’d do that?”

“Of course.”

He searched her face for a moment, his eyes flicked up for an even briefer moment, and he chuckled, some of the tension in his shoulders easing. “Thank you, Jules.”

Luke leaned over, his fingers loose in hers, and settled a soft kiss on her cheek. “Looks like your dad hit up the rest of the house, too,” he murmured as he pulled back.

He poofed away, leaving Julie confused until she looked up and found the mistletoe dangling over the entrance to the studio. She gave a wry smile, put her hand to her cheek fondly, and went back to the house.

_~~_

_Forehead_

Try as she might, Julie could not for the life of her get the cheese encrusted baking sheet clean, no matter how hard she scrubbed. She’d insisted to Tia and her father that she could manage the dishes – they’d prepared the whole Christmas Eve meal, of course, and she wanted to do something for them. They were currently in the living room with Carlos (whose duty it was to keep them from leaving the living room) watching _A Muppet Christmas Carol,_ and Julie knew they’d be listening for any signs of frustration so they could come and help.

Flynn and the guys were cleaning up the chaos in the dining room, for the same reason Julie was manhandling the dishes, and she kind of wished she hadn’t shooed them all away. To be fair, though, the dining room _was_ a larger undertaking than the roughly dozen dishes in front of her.

“Need a hand?”

Julie nearly whipped the baking sheet across Alex’s face – not that it would have done anything aside from fly through him, of course. Still, he took a step back, eyebrows flying high and hands lifting. “Whoa. Or not.”

Julie heaved a sigh. “No, no, I’ll take a hand. You just scared me. You guys done in the dining room?”

It was then she noticed the pile of plates on the counter in front of Alex. “Nah. Was bringing some of the dishes in, saw you scrubbing like you were angry at the pan. Figured I’d see if the pan needed rescuing.”

“Can ghosts clean tough spots and stains?” Julie asked dryly.

Alex chuckled, his eyes glittering, and held out a hand. She slapped the sponge into it and he edged her aside, scowling down at the pan. “Can we scratch it up?”

Julie lifted an eyebrow, staring down at the old, dinged up pan. “I don’t think Dad would notice another one.”

Alex hummed and rummaged in the sink for a dirty spoon. He wrapped the sponge around it tightly, pressing his fingers on either side of the spoon so that the sponge creased over the rim. Standing on his toes, he dragged the sponge covered spoon down the sheet with his full arm strength, successfully removing the stubborn glob of cheese Julie had been fighting with for the last five minutes in one clean motion. He dropped the spoon back in the sink and continued scrubbing down the pan normally.

Catching Julie’s wide eyed look, he smiled. “A trick I learned. Comes in handy when Reggie and Luke eat as much garbage as they did when we were alive.”

Julie giggled and stepped alongside Alex, grabbing a towel and starting to dry the dishes. “Learn that from your mom?” she asked.

Alex went quiet, staring down at the pan thoughtfully. Julie hesitated. “Did I say-?”

“No,” Alex said quickly. He took a breath, a shaky one, and offered her a weak side smile. “It’s okay. I did. Learn it from my mom. Guess it just…hit me, suddenly. That it’s Christmas. That they…”

He trailed off, brows furrowing, and Julie reached around him, shutting off the water and taking his damp hands in hers. They dried almost instantly once they weren’t touching water, which was weird to experience, but she held them firmly. “I’m sorry,” she said softly, searching his eyes. “That your parents weren’t there for you. And I know it’s not the same, it can’t be the same…but my dad is here. My aunt. _Me._ We’re here. And as far as I’m concerned you – all of you – are a part of the family.”

Alex huffed out a shaky laugh and shut his eyes. “Thanks, Jules,” he murmured. He took one of his hands from hers and set it on the back of her head, using it to guide her forwards until he could kiss her gently on the forehead. “I consider you guys family, too,” he whispered against her skin.

Julie shut her eyes for a moment, resting in the moment, until a guffaw from the doorway broke them apart. Reggie was cracking up. “Dude, Ray really got the WHOLE house!”

Moment broken, Julie and Alex both looked up in confusion to find yet another strand of mistletoe dangling over the sink.

“Dad! The sink! _Seriously?_ ”

_~~_

_Temple_

“Thank you for coming,” Julie said, her arms tight around Flynn’s back and her nose tucked into her friend’s shoulder. “It means a lot to me, considering.”

Flynn hummed, not letting go. “Of course, girl. I’m not letting you spend the first Christmas without me. You’re stuck with all of this.”

Julie snorted and buried her nose in just a little further. “I’m okay with that.”

Flynn clung on jut a bit longer before pulling back, keeping her hands on Julie’s shoulders and squeezing them. “You gonna be okay tonight?”

Julie rolled her eyes, watery though they were. “I’ll be okay. I’ll text, mm’k?”

Flynn’s thumbs ran circles around Julies sweater, her teeth gnawing at her lower lip. Outside, her mom was waiting in the car to take her home. “Okay,” she said finally, her voice tight. “Promise. O-Or get one of the guys, or your dad, even Carlos. Okay?”

Julie slumped, giving Flynn a sad smile. “I promise. Cross my heart.”

Flynn’s mother tapped lightly on the horn and Flynn turned, tucking Julie protectively under her arm and holding up a finger and pleading smile. The woman smiled and waved her hand, going back to her phone. Flynn leaned her head against Julie’s for a moment and lifted her eyes skyward, taking in the clear night. “Think your mom’s watching?”

Julie hummed, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. “I do. And I think she’s as grateful for you as I am.”

Flynn chuckled and turned her head, pressing her lips gently against Julie’s temple and holding them there for a long second. “Love you,” she murmured.

Julie burrowed a little tighter into her friend’s embrace. “Love you too.”

Flynn backed away, twisting to go down the stairs, and she sent an impish smile over her shoulder. “Better get your dad to take down all the mistletoe, or you’re gonna have an awkward time with any deliveries you might get the next few days.”

Julie looked up to find yet another piece of the incriminating plant dangling above her head. “DAD! I SWEAR!”


	4. Cheesy Holiday Movies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What movie are you even talking about?”
> 
> Julie and Flynn pointed at the TV at the same time. “Nightmare Before Christmas,” they chorused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a day late! I worked close last night, so I didn't get a chance to write it. Also tonight is the Try Guys movie premiere, so I might be posting today's tomorrow as well, but after that I should be back on schedule. 
> 
> I'm honestly not a huge fan of holiday movies? And that's on working retail for three years and having the life sucked out of you during the holiday season. I actually despise the Nightmare Before Christmas (not because it's a bad movie, but because the merchandise is out from Christmas through New Years and EVERYONE has to press the animatronic buttons and eventually you hate it) but it's the "holiday" movie I'm most familiar with, so it's the one I used.

“It is absolutely _not_ a Christmas movie,” Flynn argued, crossing her arms over her chest.

“It even has the word Christmas in the name, how could it not be a Christmas movie!” Julie protested.

Flynn scoffed. “Tangled is called Tangled and her hair doesn’t even get tangled _one time_. Invalid argument.”

“He’s literally dressed as Santa Clause Flynn.”

“I could dress as the Easter Bunny, wouldn’t make me official.”

“Um, excuse me,” Alex said, lifting a finger. Luke and Reggie flanked him, and they’d been watching the argument for nearly ten minutes. “What movie are you even talking about?”

Julie and Flynn pointed at the TV at the same time. “Nightmare Before Christmas,” they chorused.

“Flynn doesn’t think it’s a Christmas movie.”

Reggie snorted. “It’s not. It’s a Halloween movie that just happens to involve Christmas.”

Flynn pointed aggressively at the ghost. “See.”

Luke shrugged halfheartedly. “I have to agree with Julie. Christmas movie all the way.”

“HA!”

“Of course he’d agree with you, he gives you goo goo eyes every day, he doesn’t count.”

Ignoring Luke’s protesting splutters, Flynn turned to Alex with her hands on her hips. “How about you, drummer boy?”

Alex pressed his fingertips together and smiled sheepishly. “I’ve uh…I’ve never seen it. My parents thought it corrupted the idea of Christmas, and then uh…we died. Like two years after it came out. So.”

The room went silent, everyone staring at him, and then Flynn sighed and put her head in her hands. “Put it on,” she grumbled. “It’s not a Christmas movie, but everyone has to see it at least once.”

Reggie leaned over as he passed Alex. “Personally I didn’t like it all that much. I don’t see what the hype is.”

Luke stopped at his shoulder, frowning as Julie jumped over the couch and hit play in glee. “Dude,” he whispered. “We watched it together the week we crashed on Bobby’s couch after Christmas.”

Alex gave a tiny smile. “I know. I just wanted them to stop fighting.”

Luke chuckled, wrapped his arm tightly around Alex’s shoulders, and dragged him to the couch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NBC came out in 1993, fun fact. If you want to feel old. It's three years older than I am. 
> 
> I hope everyone had a good Hanukkah!!!


	5. Hot Chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Julie,” he said thoughtfully, and she glanced up, only to have the remote snatched from her fingers.
> 
> She glared at her sibling, but turned back to her father. “What’s up?”
> 
> Ray rubbed his jaw as he handed her a mug. “There’s no possible way the boys can eat, can they?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be prepared for several updates in a row tonight lol. I've been busy with work the last few days and haven't had the spoons to write, so I'm going to be doing these all at once. 
> 
> Ft. Ray being a dad to literally everyone.

Reggie had been quiet the whole time Ray was at the stove, stirring the bubbling chocolate in front of him quickly to make sure it didn’t burn. It was unusual, Reggie being quiet in the kitchen. He was usually bubbly and loud and bright, at Ray’s elbows handing him spices and silverware and potholders.

What was more unusual, however, was when he turned and found both Alex and Luke sitting silently on the counter with Reggie, their heels swinging so lightly they weren’t hitting the cupboards. All of them looked like lost puppies, eyes sad and shoulders slumped, and something in their gaze hurt Ray’s heart.

“You boys okay?” he asked softly, shutting off the stovetop and wiping his hands on the towel over his shoulder.

Alex hummed. “We’re okay. Christmas is just making all of us realize how much we like…” He trailed off, eyes dipping behind Ray.

“How much we _really_ miss food,” Luke finished, his voice a near whisper.

“And hot cocoa,” Reggie added, and he sounded like a miserable little kid. “My mom always made it with like, a pound of whipped cream on top.”

Luke’s shoulders slumped even further. “My mom made it with ice cream on top.”

Alex shut his eyes. “Our church youth group always sold it for the winter festival, and we got all the leftovers. It was…the best part of that place.”

Ray looked back at his hot chocolate, at a complete loss. “You guys can’t…eat,” he remembered slowly. He winced, looking back at them. “I’m sorry, boys. I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s okay, Mr. Molina,” Luke assured him quickly. “Promise.”

Alex rubbed his jaw and glanced at the clock, cracking his neck. “Enough moping. I’m meeting up with Willie in five. You guys coming with?”

“Better than sitting here staring at all the things we can’t have,” Reggie murmured, shooting his puppy eyes back at the hot chocolate on the stove.

The guys gave Ray smiles and waves and vanished, and Ray picked up the pot of chocolate slowly, pouring it into three mugs and then taking them out to the living room, where Julie and Carlos were fighting over the remote. “Julie,” he said thoughtfully, and she glanced up, only to have the remote snatched from her fingers.

She glared at her sibling, but turned back to her father. “What’s up?”

Ray rubbed his jaw as he handed her a mug. “There’s no possible way the boys can eat, can they?”

Julie softened a little, passing the mug in her hands to Carlos cautiously. “Not here, no.”

That perked Ray up. “Here? Is there somewhere else?”

~~

“You boys joining us?” Ray asked, popping his head into the studio. “Flynn and Julie are putting on the Santa Clause.”

Luke bounced off his seat, putting his notebook down. “Yeah! Sorry, lost track of time.”

Reggie set his bass down and Alex tucked his sticks into the loop of his belt, all three boys following Ray up to the house and into the living room. Ray parted ways with them to grab the popcorn and hot chocolate from the kitchen – Gran’s secret recipe, one demanded heavily in the winter months. He picked up the tray a little nervously, glancing behind him, and then eased his way into the living room.

“All right, someone help the old man,” he grumbled, balancing the eight mugs and giant bowl of popcorn on the tray as he tiptoed his way around the armchair.

Carlos bounced up and grabbed the popcorn bowl from the middle, setting it on the coffee table before starting to unload the mugs, handing the first two to Julie and Flynn – their matching friendship mugs – and then hesitating. “There’s a ton here, is Aunt Victoria coming?” he asked. “She _hates_ The Santa Clause.”

Ray chuckled and nodded to the guys, shoving each other around on the couch. “The different mug’s are for the boys, Carlos.”

All three band members froze, looking over at Ray with wide eyes and immediately settling down. “We appreciate the thought, Mr. Molina, but it’ll just go to waste,” Alex said, taking his drumstick back from Reggie.

A smile curled across Ray’s face. “A little faith, boys?”

They glanced at one another, and then took the mugs from Carlos with trepidation. Ray was more worried about the mugs slipping through their fingers than he was about them not being able to drink them, hence why he’d used the cheap mugs they picked up at the thrift store. He set the tray down and picked up the two remaining cups – his own #1 Dad mug and a fourth thrifted one.

“You giving yourself two, Dad?” Julie teased.

Ray let out a small breath and glanced to his left, holding out the mug and waiting until he saw Alex sit straight up before letting go of the cup. It didn’t drop, instead just hovered in mid-air, and on cue, Alex said, “Willie? What are you-?”

Ray couldn’t hear the boy, let alone see him, but he’d heard Alex talk about him enough to have a fuzzy image of him in his mind. “When you boys came back last night,” he said, hoping he wasn’t interrupting Willie, “I figured Willie was probably with you. I reached out and he responded. Julie told me that you guys _could_ eat at the Hollywood Ghost Club. According to Willie here, it’s not the club itself the makes the food edible, it’s the ingredients it’s prepared with. So he snuck me some of their chocolate and milk and a few spices.”

All three boys whipped their heads down to stare at the hot chocolate, eyes widening. Reggie was the first to venture in, as Ray had known he would be. The steaming chocolate slipped between his lips as it should any person and he jolted, nearly spilling it over the side. “Shit,” he hissed, and then instantly, “Sorry! Sorry, it was hotter than I expected, it…”

His voice grew quiet, and when he looked up his eyes were glittering. “It’s really good, Mr. Molina.”

Ray’s face warmed and he nodded to where Willie’s mug was floating. “I made us “lifer’s” hot chocolate normally, and made the ones for you boys with the ingredients Willie brought me. I’m sorry we couldn’t get you whipped cream or ice cream or anything, but I wanted Willie to be safe, so we-”

A set of arms latched around his chest and then Reggie was tucking his head into his shirt. Luke and Alex weren’t far behind, giving Ray just enough time to pass his mug off to the invisible Willie before chuckling and hugging them. “All right, all right. I thought we were watching a movie? Willie, you staying, son?”

The two floating mugs clinked together cheerfully and Ray took that as a yes, so he took his mug back and let the boys go, Willie settling down close next to Alex and Ray taking his armchair as Flynn, with a tiny smile on her face, pressed play on the movie.

Julie leaned over as Carlos hit the lights. “That was really nice of you, Dad,” she whispered. “Thank you.”

“Don’t just thank me,” he murmured, glancing over at where the floating mug was slowly being emptied of hot chocolate. He gave Willie a small smile, hoping the ghost saw it, and then turned his attention to the movie.

His hot chocolate tasted better than normal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do these logistics make sense? No not really. Do I care? Also no. Let them have hot cocoa dammit.


	6. Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternatively: Why is it so stinking hard to build a snowman in Animal Crossing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, seriously, why is it so hard? Isn't this game meant for children????

“Hey Dad?” Julie said, sticking her head into the dining room, where her father was going over some photos for a client he’d booked. “Have you seen the Switch?”

Ray cracked his neck and his fingers, looking up at his daughter and frowning. “Not on the charger in the living room?”

“Nope,” Julie confirmed, popping her ‘p.’ She tapped her fingers on the doorframe. “I was gonna check on my villagers. Is Carlos home from Joshua’s?”

Ray held up his finger. “You know what, he is, actually. Got home about twenty minutes before you did. He’s probably playing it in his room. No fighting on it, okay?”

Julie rolled her eyes. “Wasn’t gonna.”

She ducked out of the room and ran for the stairs, taking them two at a time and swinging into the upstairs hallway. “Carlos!” she hollered, heading for his room. “I’m coming in, you better not be messing with my island again!”

She opened his door and blinked rapidly.

Sitting cross-legged on Carlos’ bed, next to Carlos himself, was Luke, his tongue peeking out of his mouth and the Switch in his hands. Hovering (not literally) behind him were Alex and Reggie. Reggie was clinging to Alex’s arm, eyes wide, and Alex’s brows were furrowed the way they got when he was thinking really hard about something. Carlos was leaned against Luke’s shoulder, watching whatever he was doing on the screen intently.

“Okay…okay…a little further,” he was murmuring, his eyes narrowing. He jumped. “Stop!”

Luke froze, lifting his thumbs off the device instantly. “Okay. Now what?”

“Now kick the smaller one onto the big one,” Carlos informed him.

Luke squinted, hunching over the device further, and his thumb twitched on the left toggle switch the tiniest bit. His face lit up in a grin and Reggie whooped, throwing his hands in the air. Alex just shook his head, chuckling, and Luke high fived Carlos in glee.

They all seemed to finally notice Julie standing in the doorway. “Julie!” Reggie squealed. “Luke did it!”

“Did what?” she asked, absolutely baffled.

Luke turned the console to show Carlos’ Animal Crossing character on the screen, a fully completed snow person next to them. “This! Carlos has been showing us Animal Crossing for like the last half hour.”

Carlos shot his sister a sly smile – there was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “Do you wanna build a snowman?” he asked, just a little too sing song-y for her liking.

She snorted, ruffled his hair, and climbed onto the bed next to her brother, wrapping him tightly in a side hug. She glanced over at the guys. “Show me what you’ve learned so far.”


	7. Let's Go Caroling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’ll be like Pentatonix,” Flynn said in sudden delight, her face splitting into a grin. “I mean, not totally, but it’ll be more acoustic than your normal stuff, so kind of!”
> 
> Alex raised his hand this time. “Penta-who?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was my last favorite so far (not the prompt, my writing lol) cause I feel like writing about music is always so difficult. It's not in my top five fun things to write about, that's for sure lol.

“Okay but we can’t bring a full band caroling,” Flynn pointed out, nodding to the guys. “Like…we can’t just be at some random old lady’s house singing “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and then have full drum and bass appear out of nowhere.”

“That’s why we’re a hologram band,” Luke said, holding up the “hologram projector” and rolling his eyes at Flynn. “So no one will question it.”

Flynn snorted. “Yeah, until stage etiquette isn’t there and people try to touch the magically appearing band and realize you guys don’t feel like nothing.”

Reggie raised his hand slowly, eyebrows lifting. “What do we feel like?” he asked curiously.

“Below freezing air,” Flynn said. “That’s not normal, Jules.”

Julie was pacing the room, arms wrapped tightly around herself. Alex was pacing with her, a little slower, twirling one of his drum sticks between his fingers. Luke, Reggie, and Flynn watched them for a moment before glancing at one another.

Luke sighed. “Okay, so we…I don’t know, do an impromptu concert in a park or on a beach or something?”

Flynn wrinkled her nose. “We’d probably get kicked out by the cops for not having a permit.”

Luke frowned. “Don’t want that.”

“No,” Flynn agreed adamantly. “We might just have to skip caroling this year, Jules.”

That stopped Julie in her tracks. “No,” she said, firm. “No way. We’ve been caroling since we were kids, Flynn, the neighbors practically anticipate it now.”

“That might be pushing it a little.”

“We’re going. We just…need to figure it out,” Julie muttered, rubbing her chin.

Reggie raised his hand again, slow. “Um. Luke has an acoustic? A-And Alex is pretty good with a tambourine and egg shakers, if we need them. And I am too. So like…maybe we _could_ do the whole performing thing, we’d just have to do it…the whole time.”

Everyone stared at him for a moment and he smiled sheepishly. “Better than not caroling at all,” he pointed out.

“He’s got a point,” Julie said. “Okay. Okay, let’s give it a quick run through first.”

“It’ll be like Pentatonix,” Flynn said in sudden delight, her face splitting into a grin. “I mean, not totally, but it’ll be more acoustic than your normal stuff, so kind of!”

Alex raised his hand this time. “Penta-who?”

~~  
Flynn knocked on the door and backed up quickly, settling herself in between Julie and Reggie. “Go,” she hissed, and Julie started singing just as the doorknob clicked.

Based on the old woman’s face of pure delight, she hadn’t seen the guys flicker into existence. Her eyes dropped to Julie’s guitar, back to Luke’s, over to Reggie, who was holding egg shakers, Flynn, who had a tambourine, and Alex, who was holding both his drumsticks and tapping them rhythmically against his legs and chest.

“ _Joy to the world, the Lord is come!_

_Let Earth receive her king._

_Let every heart prepare Him room_

_And heaven and nature sing! And heaven and nature sing!_

_And heaven, and heaven and nature sing!”_

They continued with the song as they moved, Flynn taking up the lead so that she could knock door to door so that Julie and the guys didn’t have to stop playing. They flipped from Joy to the World to God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen to Frosty the Snowman and on, making their way around the neighborhood and back.

Flynn kept an eye on the group, nodding them back towards the sidewalk anytime she noticed someone lagging, and eventually they worked their way back around to Julie’s house, where her father was waiting on the porch with bottles of water for the girls. “Could hear you guys coming down the street,” he chuckled as they came up, Alex and Reggie scatting playfully while Luke improv-d a couple rounds of The 12 Days of Christmas.

Julie took the offered water bottle gratefully. “I wish I was a ghost. No dry vocal chords.”

Reggie bounced up the steps and leaned on her shoulder, poking her in the temple lightly. “No ghosting.”

“I concur,” Ray chuckled. “You kids going back out?”

Flynn and Julie looked at one another, then to the boys. A smile curled up Julie’s face. “I’d like that. If you guys are down.”

Alex pointed a stick at her as Luke snorted. “Duh.”

Flynn poked her water bottle at Alex. “After this though, I’m making you guys learn Pentatonix’s entire discography. You’d probably crush Scott’s parts.”

“Thank you?”

“It’s a compliment.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnnddd I'm caught up! Back to normal posting tomorrow!


	8. Christmas Cookies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lack of traffic meant Julie reached the Patterson’s in less than 15 minutes, and she chained her bike to the fence out front, hanging her helmet on the handlebars. She picked the cookies up again and peeked inside to make sure they hadn’t slid around too much on the ride, and then nervously trekked up the driveway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know several people have probably done this already, but I _did_ insinuate this exact scenario in the mistletoe prompt one, so of course I had to do it too.

The lid of the container snapped on with a satisfying click, and Julie ran her hands over the plastic cover nervously. Behind her, she could hear Reggie and Alex fighting over the icing for the Hanukkah cookies they’d been working on, and her father was washing dishes somewhere off to her right. Carlos was probably hiding in a corner somewhere eating icing straight out of the bowl, and Luke-

“You don’t have to.”

She glanced over at him, at the way his hands were twisting in his too-big flannel, and she wondered, not for the first time, if it was his father’s. “I know,” she said instead of asking. She never asked. “I want to.”

Luke took a deep breath and nodded, hands wringing in the shirt a little tighter. Julie picked up the container and turned to her father, who was wiping his hands down on a towel and flicking the water playfully at Reggie and Alex. “Dad?”

Ray looked up, catching the cookies and Luke sheepishly standing behind her, and his smile softened. “You two heading out?”

“Yeah. We’ll be back in an hour.”

“Got your phone?”

She held it up with a little wiggle. “Always.”

Ray pointed his towel at Luke. “You. Afterwards. Come give me a big hug.”

Luke’s face lit up in a tiny smile, his eyes glittering – with tears or happiness, Julie wasn’t sure. “Yes sir.”

He followed Julie out of the kitchen, accepting gentle side hugs from Alex and Reggie, and out to her bike. “Mind if I go ahead?” he asked as she strapped her helmet on and tucked the cookies safely into the basket on the handles.

Julie set her foot on the pedals. “Race ya.”

He grinned and vanished.

The ride gave her time to appreciate the lights. Living in California, there wasn’t snow most of the time, so people went ham on their holiday decorations. Hanukkah, Kwanza, Christmas, everything in between, almost every home had lights or inflatables outside. Being the evening of Christmas itself, the streets were quiet, and Julie knew everyone was probably inside curling up for a movie or a game or cleaning up dinner.

The lack of traffic meant she reached the Patterson’s in less than 15 minutes, and she chained her bike to the fence out front, hanging her helmet on the handlebars. She picked the cookies up again and peeked inside to make sure they hadn’t slid around too much on the ride, and then nervously trekked up the driveway.

Luke was waiting for her on the porch, leaning against the wall next to the doorbell with his arms wrapped tightly around himself. Despite the visible tears on his face, he smiled at her. “I win,” he croaked.

She snorted and pushed him gently, gesturing to the doorbell. He slid his thumb across it and the faint, cheerful chimes inside rang out.

Julie tapped her fingers against the container, nervous up until the door cracked open and Emily peered out, the light spilling over the porch and bathing Julie in warmth. She relaxed instantly. “Um. Hi, Mrs. Patterson.”

Emily’s face lit up and she pulled the door open wider, stepping closer. “Oh! Julie, right? Merry Christmas, sweetheart. What on earth are you doing here?”

Luke was pressed against Julie’s side, but he was still a ghost, so she slid her arm through his and lifted the container. “I was baking some cookies and I just felt like…like I needed to bring you some. Like I was being pushed to do it. I know that sounds silly, but…Merry Christmas.”

Emily took the cookies delicately, looking back at Mitch as he appeared at the door. “Julie brought us Christmas cookies,” she said, smiling.

Julie pointed at the container. “There’s some dreidel ones in there too. Hope you don’t mind. One of my friends celebrates Hanukkah, and we had a lot of leftovers.”

Mitch gave a tiny smile and wrapped his wife in a side hug. “Believe it or not, one of Luke’s best friends was Jewish, so we always got some of his holiday leftovers too. It’ll be…nostalgic, to have them.”

Beside Julie, Luke was fidgeting again, tears crawling down his cheeks. A broken laugh spilled from his lips, one that made Julie’s heart ache. “They remembered him.”

Julie tilted her head. “Were you close with his friends?” she asked, keeping her voice light and curious.

Emily hummed, wrapping her arms around the container of cookies. “Closer than he was with their parents, I think. Reggie was…” she chuckled, shaking her head. “He was a handful, but he was so bright. Full of life. I think he would have been an incredible teacher, actually. Helped Luke get his grades back up in school after his grandmother passed.”

Mitch kissed the top of his wife’s head. “He stayed with us, sometimes. Never talked about it, but we figured there was something going on at home. Same with Alex.”

Emily snorted, looking a little annoyed. “Alex was…he deserved so much better than he got. His parents didn’t understand him, even after his passing. I hope he would have known he would have been welcome with us.”

Luke was trembling next to her, and Julie itched to hug him. “They sound like good guys,” she murmured, wrapping her arms around herself instead. Shook her head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up-”

Mitch held out his hand. “Never apologize, hon,” he promised her. “It keeps Luke’s memory alive for us. All of their memories alive for us. Especially on today, it…”

He trailed off and Emily gave Julie a shaky smile. “It’s nice. To be reminded of all of them. Thank you, sweetheart. Do you want to come in? I can make some tea.”

Julie jutted her thumb back towards her bike. “I told my dad I’d be home soon, or I would. Thank you, though. And Merry Christmas.”

Emily pressed the cookies into Mitch’s hands. “I can’t give Luke a hug today,” she said, voice shaking, hands wringing together in her sweater in a way that mirrored Luke. “Would you mind if I-?”

Julie took a deep breath, tears springing to her eyes. “I can’t hug my mom either,” she whispered, and Emily’s shoulders slumped at the implication. “So I wouldn’t mind at all.”

Emily was firm and warm and smelled like citrus and honey. Her sweater was warm against Julie’s cheek, and for an older woman, she had a strong grip. “Merry Christmas, Julie,” Emily whispered, pressing a feather-light kiss to Julie’s cheek as she pulled back. She squeezed her shoulders, eyes bright and face wet. “Thank you.”

Julie let out a shaky breath and swiped at her skin. “Thank _you_.”

She left with a wave, realizing with a start that Luke was no longer on the porch. Her heart sank and she picked up the pace, getting back to her bike and finding him there, hands fisted into the fabric of his sleeves. “Luke, I-”

He fell against her, clinging to her like he’d collapse if he didn’t, and she held him tightly, pressing her hand to the back of his head and carding her fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I couldn’t turn her down.”

“Not mad,” he whispered, voice crackling. “Promise. You smell like her.”

Julie swallowed around the ache in her throat and held on a little tighter. “You okay?” she asked after a long minute, kicking herself as soon as she said it.

Luke chuckled and pulled away, dragging his sleeve covered fists over his face. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll be okay. Thank you. For doing that. I know it meant a lot to them. And it meant a lot to me.”

“You know I’d do anything for you guys,” she said sincerely, swinging her leg over her bike and clipping her helmet back on. “Anything.”

Luke gave her the softest smile she’d ever seen. “I know.”

“Now come on,” Julie said, nodding to the road and starting to pedal. “Let’s go home before Carlos eats all the cookies himself.”

Luke laughed out loud, jogging to keep up with her. “If Alex and Reggie didn’t start a cookie war with him instead.”

“Both options are equally likely, and that’s terrifying.”


	9. Snowball Fights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She turned, guilt swirling in her stomach, and she had taken barely three steps before a snowball hit her in the shoulder. She gasped, whirling and staring at Carrie in shock even as the girl bent to scoop more snow into her gloves. “What-?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set pre-canon, before Julie and Carrie stopped being friends. 
> 
> This one was hard for me to write, mostly cause (like the snowman one) I really didn't have any idea how to do this when the show is set in California lol. I got there eventually, so expect a couple more updates tonight and the final one tomorrow!

Julie wasn’t a huge fan of skiing, but Carrie and her dad had invited her ages ago and she would have felt bad declining when her dad was literally paying for the whole trip, so she’d said yes despite her best interest. Now, she’d gone down the slopes twice and was sitting by the ski rental shop, sipping a mug of hot chocolate.

She was just beginning to wonder if she should go back to the lodge and text Carrie that she was going to read a book when Carrie bounded up to her, lugging her skis under her arm. “Molina! What are you doing just sitting here?”

Julie shrugged, cupping her hot chocolate a little closer for warmth. “I went down a couple times, I just…wasn’t feeling it, I guess.”

Carrie softened a little, glancing back at the ski rental. “Hang on.”

She darted away, lugging the skis (taller than her) after her, taking them to the man at the counter. Julie sipped at her hot chocolate again, disappointed to find that she was at the bottom of the cup. She stood, tossing it into a nearby trash can, and then stuffed her hands in her pockets and rocked on her heels while she waited for Carrie to come back.

She knew the purpose for this trip – her mom hadn’t been doing hot recently, and she’d likely asked Mr. Wilson to invite Julie to the mountains to take her mind off things. It wasn’t working – skiing left Julie with too much time to think, and doing nothing was even worse. She’d been hoping that tearing into the next book in the series she was reading might distract her at least until dinner.

Carrie came trotting back up, her cheeks as pink as the ski jacket she was clad in. “Come on, I heard there’s an ice skating rink out back. I know you like that more than skiing.”

Julie bit her lip and lifted her shoulder, offering a small smile. “Thanks, Carrie, but I kinda just want to go back inside and read. You know?”

She turned, guilt swirling in her stomach, and she had taken barely three steps before a snowball hit her in the shoulder. She gasped, whirling and staring at Carrie in shock even as the girl bent to scoop more snow into her gloves. “What-?”

Carrie swung and Julie dodged this snowball, mouth still agape. “Carrie!”

The girl was already forming another snowball. She looked up, an evil glint in her eyes. “Scared to lose, Molina?”

Julie blinked rapidly, stunned, and that was a mistake, because the next snowball exploded in her face. Carrie’s smirk was wide, and as she scooped to grab more snow, Julie dove, grabbing her own snow and smacking it into a ball, flinging it at Carrie.

Carrie shrieked and dove, getting hit in the hip instead of the chest, and it was on. Snow flew back and forth between them, tourists ducking and laughing around them as they avoided the snowy missiles. A couple teenagers joined them after a few moments, taking up sides, and the battle grew until the whole yard was full of flinging snow.

It ended when the night fell, casting the area in darkness, and Julie leaned heavily on Carrie as they walked back to the lodge together, hands swinging between them. They were pink cheeked and soaked, shivering but warm, and after a moment, Julie coughed.

“Thank you,” she murmured.

She could feel Carrie look at her, but she didn’t look back. “I probably just would have gone back inside and gotten stuck in my own head. With Mom, I…”

Carrie’s hip bumped hers. “I know, Jules. I’m not stupid.”

Julie squeezed Carrie’s hand. “Thank you. For the trip, but also like…everything.”

Carrie squeezed her hand back. “That’s what friends are for, loser.”

Julie wrapped her arm around Carrie’s shoulders, giving her a side hug as they sauntered into the lodge together. Trevor was waiting for them by the fire, reading something on his iPad, and he rolled his eyes and grinned when he took in their dripping wet clothes and frozen hair. “Hot chocolate?” Julie asked.

Carrie nodded. “Hot chocolate. And some new clothes.”

“Merry Christmas, Carrie.”

“Merry Christmas, Julie.”


	10. Christmas Traditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lights throughout the city were lit up house to house, reindeer and Santa Clause’s and snowmen up and down every block, rainbow lights and blue lights and white lights and gold lights strung across rooves and trees alike. Soft Christmas music filtered through the car speakers, and aside from Ray’s humming and tapping of the steering wheel, the car was otherwise quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This prompt was either Christmas Traditions or Decorating the Tree, and since I kind of already mentioned tree decorating, I pulled one of my own family traditions for this story. I won't be spending this holiday with or speaking to my family, so this was kind of cathartic. This one is a little shorter. 
> 
> One more update after this one tonight!

The car was packed with hot chocolate, pillows, blankets, and phone chargers galore. Ray backed out of the vehicle, putting his hands on his hips and giving a small smile. Julie, who was standing next to him furiously texting Flynn, glanced up. “We good to go?”

“Just about,” Ray confirmed. He turned and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Carlos! Ay! Let’s go, mijo!”

“Coming!” Carlos yelled back, shutting and locking the front door behind him. He was clad in his pajama pants, phone clutched tightly in hand and a smile on his face.

Just as Julie was about to climb into the car, Luke, Alex, and Reggie appeared next to the car. They’d been out visiting Willie, and she had hoped they would be back before she and her family left, so she perked up immediately. “Hey! You guys coming with us?”

The guys blinked, looking behind her at Ray, who was now watching them with an inviting grin. “Where are you going?” Alex asked.

Julie’s smile softened and she gestured into the car. “Come find out.”

~~

The lights throughout the city were lit up house to house, reindeer and Santa Clause’s and snowmen up and down every block, rainbow lights and blue lights and white lights and gold lights strung across rooves and trees alike. Soft Christmas music filtered through the car speakers, and aside from Ray’s humming and tapping of the steering wheel, the car was otherwise quiet.

They drove for over two hours, stopping only once to fill up the gas tank and grab some water bottles from a 24 hour gas station. Ray drove them up into the mountains, where the chill in the air dipped enough for the kids to drag out the blankets and cuddle up together in the back seat, and then back down into the city.

On the drive back, Carlos asleep with his head on Alex’s shoulder and Reggie nodding off on Alex’s other side, Luke spoke, soft. “Do you guys do this every year?”

Julie hummed, leaning into his side and tugging the blanket up over her lap even though the chill of the mountains was gone. “Yeah. Ever since Carlos was little. We just drive around and look at all the lights for as long as we want. Kind of a tradition now. This is the first year…”

She trailed off, ducking her chin and leaning her cheek on Luke’s shoulder, curling her fist into her blanket. Luke wrapped an arm around her and Reggie, still nearly asleep, reached his hand out and wrapped it tight around Julie’s. She squeezed it firmly and sighed, shutting her eyes. “Thank you guys for coming,” she mumbled.

Ray glanced back at them in the rearview, his lips twitching into a smile. “You boys might have to help me lug some of my kids inside.”

Alex snorted, his face fond and his eyes glittering. “As long as you help us with Reggie.”

Reggie grumbled into Alex’s shoulder. “Shut up, ‘m just gonna poof. Ghost perks.”

Ray laughed, turned up the Christmas music on the radio a little louder, and rounded the corner to the next colorfully lit neighborhood.


	11. Christmas Eve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At 5:37 on Christmas Eve, 1994, there was a knock on Bobby’s front door.
> 
> His parents, who were mid-setting out places at the table, looked up with frowns. “Who on earth-?” his mother started.
> 
> His father rolled his eyes. “On a holiday? Seriously?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I needed to throw Bobby in here at least once before the twelve days were over! No Bobby hate tonight. There's a VERY brief mention of abuse, but it's literally one sentence and it's nothing explicit. 
> 
> Last update before tomorrow, I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas Eve!

At 5:37 on Christmas Eve, 1994, there was a knock on Bobby’s front door.

His parents, who were mid-setting out places at the table, looked up with frowns. “Who on earth-?” his mother started.

His father rolled his eyes. “On a holiday? Seriously?”

Bobby set his cup down next to his placemat, worry clawing at his stomach. “I got it,” he said, wiping his hands on his pants and walking around the table.

He knew before he even opened the door who it would be – or at the very least, he had three guesses. He didn’t want any of them to be right. He wanted his friends to have one good holiday, one week of no fighting, a month without them having to show up and crash on his couch. He’d always let them, of course; his friends meant more to him than almost anything else, and seeing them hurt always ached. Which was why he didn’t want to open the door, but he knew he had to.

It was Luke standing there, bag over his shoulder, bike leaned against Bobby’s porch railing, teeth gnawing at his lip. His eyes were tinged red, and when he looked up, his vision was glassy. “Um. Hey. Know it’s Christmas eve, but I…”

Bobby swung the door open and his arm out. “You know you’re always welcome here, dude,” he promised, speaking softly.

Luke shifted on his feet, not moving from the porch. “Your parents won’t-?”

“Absolutely not, sweetheart,” Bobby’s mother said, coming into the entryway and wiping her hands on her apron. She held her hand out, offering Luke a gentle smile. “Come in, honey, we’ll set an extra place. I-”

She stopped speaking, eyes drifting behind Luke, and Luke and Bobby both turned to see what she was looking at.

Alex was frozen like a deer in the headlights, foot on the top step of the porch. There were tear tracks on his face, a bruise forming on his forearm. “Um.”

Rage bubbled in Bobby’s gut at the sight of the forming bruise. It was small, but it was there, and it meant something. Alex wasn’t clumsy, and his father had gotten angrier ever since Alex came out to them. More rough, aggressive – Alex had told the guys it was because his father was trying to “teach him to be manly,” or some other horse shit. Bobby didn't like it one bit, but Alex was adamant that if it genuinely got bad, he'd get out, so he'd stopped pestering him about it. He had to trust his friends, or he knew they'd stop coming to him for help. 

Bobby’s mother, who had tucked Luke under her arm, held out her free hand. “You too, Alex honey. Robert!” she shouted over her shoulder. “Set two more places!”

Alex winced. “About that…”

He turned, revealing a very sheepish Reggie behind him. Reggie and Alex lived six doors down from each other, so they usually showed up to everything together. Never, however, had they both left home to go to Bobby's place for the night at the same time.

Reggie shrank into his leather jacket. “I don’t want to intrude on Christmas Eve,” he whispered. “I don’t even celebrate Christmas, Mrs. Wilson, I can just go crash in the studio.”

“Absolutely not,” Bobby’s mother said, and he’d never been so grateful for his parents than in that moment. “Robert! One more, please! Now you two come in immediately, before I drag you in by the collars.”

Alex and Reggie entered slowly, Reggie shutting the door behind him and locking it. For a moment, they all stood in the hallway nervously, until Bobby’s mother tisked and pushed them towards the stairs. “Go put your things in Bobby’s room and meet us in the dining room, mm? And wash your hands, all three of you.”

“Yes ma’am,” they chorused, shooting Bobby grateful looks as they all passed him and trampled up the stairs towards his room.

His mother wrapped her arms around him from behind, startling Bobby. He gripped her hands tightly, leaning back against her shoulder. “Thank you,” he whispered, watching his friends disappear. “I know it’s Christmas Eve, but I can’t-”

“Sweetheart, that’s exactly why they’re coming in,” the woman scoffed. “Your friends are practically my kids at this point. I’m not leaving them in the cold on a holiday, okay? Ever, sweetheart.”

Bobby sighed, shutting his eyes against the prickle of relieved tears. “Thank you,” he choked out again. He turned, tugging his mother into a hug and pressing his nose into her neck. “I don’t say it enough. But thank you for always letting them in, no questions asked.”

She pulled back, gripping his arms and studying his face. “I will only ask questions if I think things are getting dangerous for any of them,” she promised. Her gaze narrowed. “Don’t think I didn’t see Alex’s arm.”

Bobby winced, glancing at the second floor landing as Luke’s voice became audible again. “We have enough food for everyone?”

His mother scoffed. “Sweetheart, I had a feeling at least one of them would end up here. I made _plenty._ ”

Bobby leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, smiling. “Thanks, Mom.”

She swatted at his butt as he walked past her to properly greet his friends. “If you boys don’t go to bed tonight on time though, Santa won’t come.”

“Mom! I’m _sixteen_.”

“Santa doesn’t discriminate age, honey.”

Bobby shook his head, laughed, and slung his arm around Reggie’s and Alex’s shoulders to drag them to the dining room.


	12. Christmas Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria stepped around the couch and passed the presents over to Ray, glancing at the stockings on the fireplace. There were three more there than had been last night, and she lifted an eyebrow and looked back at Ray with a grin on her face. His eyes glittered. “Hush.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last one, lads! This one heavily features Victoria, because I demand more of her in this fandom. 
> 
> Hope everyone is having a good Christmas, and if you aren't, I hope that you get through it (or got through it) quickly. Sending love to everyone who's lost someone this year, anyone who can't be with family, people who had to cut off family, or people who are stuck quarantining alone. I feel you, I see you, and remember that you'll get through this. 
> 
> Thanks again to sonsetcurve on tumblr for providing all the prompts for this! I know I didn't always update on time, but it definitely forced me to write more often than I otherwise would have this month.

Victoria woke up at six on the dot, sliding her feet into her slippers and wrapping her robe tightly around herself as she rummaged through her duffel bag she’d stored her overnight clothes in and pulled out the bag nestled alongside her Christmas sweater. She eased her way out of the guest bedroom and down the stairs, jumping lightly around the squeaky step that always caught the kids sneaking from their bedrooms.

She hit the landing, rounded the corner into the living room, and froze at the sight of Ray leaning over the tree, presents gripped in his hands. He blinked at her, looked down at her bag, and then gave a wry smile. “You too?”

Victoria snorted. “Of course. How could I not?”

“Hand ‘em here.”

Victoria stepped around the couch and passed the presents over to Ray, glancing at the stockings on the fireplace. There were three more there than had been last night, and she lifted an eyebrow and looked back at Ray with a grin on her face. His eyes glittered. “Hush.”

“Got a couple in that bag for that, too. I’m gonna start the cinnamon rolls. Come help me when you’re done, mm?”

“We’ll see.”

She swatted her brother-in-law on the way out.

~~

Carlos came pattering down the stairs first, as was customary, his socked feet allowing him to glid into the kitchen smoothly with a bright smile lighting up his whole demeanor. “Merry Christmas, Tia!”

She kissed him on the top of the head and pushed a glazed cinnamon roll into his hands. “Merry Christmas, mijo. Sit down, eat. Presents when Julie and the boys get in here.”

As if on cue, Reggie and Alex appeared in the kitchen, shoving each other lightly and laughing about something. Reggie had a Santa hat on his head, and Alex was wearing pajama bottoms and a sweatshirt, and the sight of them made Victoria’s heart hurt just a little bit. “All right you two, knock it off,” she scolded, keeping her voice light and teasing. “Where’s Luke?”

They quieted down instantly, shooting each other knowing looks, and then Alex cleared his throat. “Um. He swung by his parent’s house real fast. Wanted to do something. Didn’t say what. He’ll be here soon, though.”

Victoria nodded and playfully poked Carlos towards the table. “In that case, I know you boys can’t have any cinnamon rolls, but you’re still required to sit at the table until everyone is here. Family tradition so no one peeks at their presents.”

Reggie paused mid-pulling his chair out and looked up, his lips parting in surprise. “…we have presents?”

Victoria huffed out a laugh and tossed him what she knew was a devilish smile over her shoulder. “Did I say that?” she asked innocently.

Carlos giggled, his face already sticky, and Alex and Reggie sat down slowly, still staring at Victoria in shock. She ignored them, busying herself making coffee for herself and Ray, and moments later Julie swirled into the kitchen, clad in pajamas and a pair of reindeer antlers. She grabbed a cinnamon roll from the counter and plopped down next to Alex. “Morning!” she chimed, ripping apart the pastry. “Merry Christmas!”

Ray walked into the kitchen at the same time Luke popped in next to Victoria, scaring her a little more than she’d like to admit. “ _Lord_ , sweetheart,” she gasped, pulling her coffee back and setting a hand on her chest. “Warn an old lady, would you?”

He gave her a sheepish smile, and she’d have to be blind not to notice the rim of red around her eyes. “Sorry, Tia.”

She wrapped him in a quick side hug, feigning ignorance as he leaned just a little into her touch. “No problem, mijo. Raymond, everything ready?”

Ray pointed behind her. “Coffee.”

~~

When Ray handed the first stocking to Luke, the poor boy looked like he’d just been handed a dead rat. “Who am I giving this to?” he asked.

Ray paused in unlatching the second one. “It’s yours, son.”

Luke sat back, clearly stunned, and Reggie and Alex took their stockings with equal shock. Julie and Carlos were smiling to themselves, and Victoria couldn’t help but duck her head and grin. The kids, of course, tore into their stockings immediately.

It was hard to shop for ghosts. Nothing edible, so candy was out. They didn’t get cold, so they didn’t need mittens or warm socks or hats (though she knew all of the boys enjoyed hats – she _had_ included a hand knit beanie in Luke’s stocking), and they couldn’t really do anything out in the real world aside from play music, so gift cards were also a no go.

So in the stockings, Victoria had stuffed a beanie for Luke, in pan colors, a chain belt that Julie had helped her pick out for Reggie with a bisexual flag dangling off the end, and a set of drumsticks with rainbow tape wrapped around the ends. Ray had put some things in too – she spotted ghost shaped cookie cutters in Reggie’s, a new notebook and pen in Luke’s, a new fanny pack in Alex’s. She was so focused on watching them that she forgot about her own stocking until Carlos looked up and gave her a big grin, giggling a little as she frantically started rummaging through her own things.

The shock from the boys continued as they handed out the gifts. They had less than the rest of the family, of course – it was more difficult to shop for ghosts, especially ghosts that you had only known existed for about a month and a half and ghosts you had only been able to see for three or four weeks. That didn’t seem to bother the boys in the slightest.

Luke had already settled his new beanie on his head. Alex was absentmindedly drumming the side of the couch with his sticks. Reggie was struggling to tie a bracelet Julie had given him around his wrist.

And Victoria? Well, she got that new stand mixer she’d been eyeing, so she was pretty damned pleased.

~~

She was shutting the door behind her and heading for the car when she heard a yelped, “Hold on!” come from the studio.

Victoria turned, shifting her purse on her shoulder, and gasped as Reggie wrapped his arms tightly around her, clinging to her back in a way similar to how Julie hugged. She blinked, setting a careful hand on his back and rubbing up and down slowly. “What-?”

“My turn,” Luke declared, and Reggie backed off only for Victoria to get an armful of Luke.

She relaxed a little, and rolled her eyes and held out her arms expectantly as Luke backed away, not shocked when Alex pulled her in tightly. “Thanks, Tia,” he whispered.

Victoria pulled back and squeezed Alex’s shoulders, looking to each of the boys in turn. “I’m sorry you can’t spend the day with your families,” she said softly. “We wanted to make sure you boys had a good holiday.”

“We did,” Luke promised.

Alex gave her a tiny smile, his eyes sparkling. “And we did. Spend it with family, I mean.”

He tilted his head, endearing, and stepped back towards his bandmates. “Merry Christmas, Tia.”

“Merry Christmas,” Luke and Reggie chorused.

Victoria felt a lump grow in her throat, and she couldn’t help but wonder when she’d signed on to having three more nephews. “Merry Christmas,” she echoed back.

Her shoes clicked as she turned back to the car and took a breath, straightening her hat and unlocking the doors.

She and Ray were going to have to do even better next year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas, and Happy Kwanzaa everyone, since that starts tomorrow!!


End file.
